Kelly Clarkson: 'Greatest Hits: Chapter One' - Album review

A decade in pop is an achievement not to be sniffed at, not least when your big break arrived at the hands of a TV talent show. That said, winning the first series of American Idol has had its advantages for Kelly Clarkson; the previously uncharted territory placed comparably low expectations on the singer at the time and allowed her to neatly carve out a niche with relatively little backlash. That sound was and remains stadium-sized power anthems, best summed up on her true breakthrough global smash 'Since U Been Gone'.

The sailing has been pretty smooth for Kelly ever since, turning out big pop songs (courtesy of Dr Luke and Max Martin) with even bigger vocals that are, for the most part, wholly reassuring. She's rarely missed the mark on the uptempos, 'My Life Would Suck Without You' has retained its youthful angst three years after it topped the charts, while her recent hit 'Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)' proves there's plenty of life in the genre yet. She's never quite managed to top 'Because of You' on the ballad front, but as brand new cuts 'Catch My Breath' and 'People Like Us' prove, she continues to remain the dependable go-to for a wholesome rock-out.